An Old Fashion Family Thanksgiving
by ScottyBgood
Summary: It's been over eleven months since Jade and Tori had welcomed some strays back into their new, amalgamated family, and it's time to bring in the last prodigal children. Thanksgiving is a time of family and food, and now Cat and Beck are finally returning to the fold. Things should go smoothly, cause they will always be family. A continuation of "An Old Fashion Family Christmas."


Disclaimer: I don't own, Schneider's bakery and Nickelodeon does. But I did some interesting things with the characters.

For those who don't know, Thanksgiving is a day when we gather as families and try to get along as we celebrate the things we should be thankful for, like Black Friday sales. The real meaning has kinda gotten lost along the way, but it's the start of the season, and a day off for many of us.

:}

Cat wasn't too sure of things as she watched the house, the large, eight plus bedroom home where her one time closest friend in the world lived. "Think she's made?" The one time redhead asked her bo.

Beck sighed. "Jade's anxious to have you back." He told his girl, even as he ran his hand through his hair. The petite girl had changed a lot over the last four years, to the point where even her voice was different. The girl had given up on her little girl voice, a one time survival mechanism, given how dysfunctional her home life could be. Cat staying young helped her deny that her brother wasn't ever gonna be normal.

"Has she forgiven me?" Cat worried.

"Cat, she wants you back." Beck tried again. The one time actor had kept his lines of communication open, but it had gotten progressively harder as he swapped the focus in his life to teaching, something he both felt passionate about, and found oddly fulfilling. But those first two years he'd tried to make it acting had cost him, and now, playing catch up, he was still in collage, earning a bachelors degree in history, a stepping stone to his projected career teaching at Hollywood Arts. "Jade's changed, a lot, and you know Tori..."

"No, I know the person she wanted us to know." Cat corrected. "Sure, according to Trina, she really is that happy, positive, sweet girl we used to know. Only now, she that same girl with a top selling album, as well as other credits, acting credits, to her name. Plus, she has Jade. God, I had no idea how good it could be to have a Jade in your life, cause, you know, she's so awful."

"Yea, hard to tell just how much she looked out for us, or helped us out, given what a total gank she was." The handsome boy agreed. "But we talk, Jade and I, and she sometimes has me help out in her world. You know, make chiz for her projects." His eyes lingered off somewhere else. "That's the side of Jade we never saw, cause she hid it so well. But she did, she does, she tries to take care of her family, cause the one she came from, they were..."

"Jerks?" Cat asked, but it was clear she knew the answer.

"Damaged." Beck agreed. "Jade's a special case."

"Tracy likes her." The petite girl offered. "Course, Jade scared the living chiz outta her, which is surprising. I mean, Tracy may try to be all girly, but she's so touch. No way she'd be scared of someone as sheltered as Jade, right?"

"I don't know..." Beck started, but it was already too late.

"Guys, why you out here?" Andre asked. "Party's inside." He smiled at the attractive Polynesian woman next to him. "Guys, this is Becca, she's a nurse." The musician nodded at his friends. "She worked at Elderly Acres." Becca was tall, almost as tall as Andre himself, with an athletic build that drew attention.

"Among other places." Becca added. "Great to meet some of Dre's friends. God, I was so nervous, given the people he knows. Did you know he's friends with the associate producer of the Buenos Dias Los Angeles? You know, on the Spanish language channel?"

"Trina first?" Cat asked Beck, a shock echoed in her voice as she tried to make sence of that particular order. "I'd have thought it would have been Tori? Or maybe Jade, if she was into horror films, and being scared in general."

"She would be, assuming I told her about them." Dre hissed.

"Wait, Tori? Jade?" Becca asked.

"Tori's Trina's sister." Beck told the girl.

"How's that supposed to….TORI VEGA!" The girls shift was palatable. "My god, Tori Vega, in that house? She's just inside that house, just a short walk away, and we're out here, like the losers we are, hoping to meet her."

"We've met her." Cat said, her voice cold. "We went to school with her, and Jade, and Trina, and the others who live there, including..." Her voice got small. "...Robbie."

"Yea, that's gonna be a sore spot." Andre agreed. "But you've both moved on, got your lives on, making things happen, so that's a plus, right?"

"What can you tell me about this girl he's dating?" Beck asked. "Jade's been kinda vague, and me and Tori, we don't talk nearly as much as we used too."

"Zoey?" Dre asked. "Old friend of Tori's, gets along great with everyone, and get this, got her degree in business, then went back and started attending cooking school. Girl needed time to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up."

"So I'm the outsider?" Becca asked, making it clear she wasn't too happy at being in that position among the luminaries she was about to meet.

"Girl, relax, they're gonna love you." Dre assured his date. "Sides, Granny loves you, and she's gonna be there."

"Your grandmothers a part of this?" Cat asked in disbelief.

"She's a stray, and they take in strays." Andre told the girl. "And we're killing time. Everyone's dying for this night, cause Jade, she's been wanting you back in the family for a long, long time."

"Eleven months." Beck noted. "Thats when you guys came together, right?" He directed the question at Andre.

"We'd been living together, in groups or what have you, longer, but yea." Andre said. "Eleven months ago, the family Christmas party. That's where we welcomed Robbie back into the fold, and Tracy into the family."

"So, who's everyone?" Becca asked. "I mean, the famous one's, those I can guess at..."

"Ouch, babe, I write music for both of the famous one's." Andre teased. "Tracy is Trina's lover, and trust me, that one caught me off guard. Given the kinds of men Trina was into, I wouldn't have seen her with a girl, even a hot one like Tracy. Now Zoey, she's so much more the normal, sweet, easy going girl next door type, and she's sleeping with Robbie, and I probably shouldn't have said that." His eyes lingered on the petite girl next to Beck.

"It's all right." Beck intervened, arm around Cat in a comforting, yet commanding way. "Lets just head in, and let the other guests and residents speak for themselves. They said they wanted us there early, so I'm thinking they plan on introducing us to this family they've been building before the other outsider guests show up. Lets just, lets go do this. I, for one, have every intention of seeing jut what this house has."

"Eight bedrooms, not counting the two in guest house." Andre told them. "Two more in the guest house, which is Trina's domain BTW. But inside, well, we're kinda spread out a bit. I have a room on the bottom floor, next to the exercise room, with quick access to the pool. One floor up we have a hallway and three more bedrooms, two of witch are occupied by Rob and Zoey. Top floor, that's floor number five, has three more bedrooms, plus there's an office on this level, our ground level, but four up from the back yard, and for whatever reason, that counts as a bedroom." They'd reached the front door, which Andre unlocked and opened. "So, as one of the people who lives here, welcome. They're expecting you." A hand gestured a short distance to a large rear room that had to be the living area. Music drifted out to greet them.

Cat allowed herself to be led through the entryway, past the stairs that connected this floor with the four below, as well as the one above, through to a large, well furnished room where the others had gathered. While obviously a living room, with a high, two story ceiling, it had been arranged to host the guests today. Couches were supplemented with chairs, small, convenient tables, and one whole wall was arranged with a long table that would soon hold a buffet style meal for the holiday.

They were waiting. All the people who lived here seemed to be gathered just for this moment. Zoey and Robbie were working on setting the buffet, placing things that could be stored at room temperature, and clearing spaces for the food to come. The blond was obviously happy with what she was doing, while Robbie looked much the same as he always had. In fact, it was that sameness that threw Cat, because she'd heard, though Beck, just how different he'd been a little over a year ago. But here he was, happily helping out, joking with his girl, all the while seemingly oblivious to the guilt that ate away at the petite girl in the entryway.

"Cat, good to see you." Tracy chirped. "Dinners not for a bit, but Zoey there made us some chiz to snack on, just in case your hungry now. Just, she's in culinary school now, has only a single quarter left, so you know dinners gonna be epic." She was leaning into Trina, who was reading, a position Cat herself used to cuddle into Beck when she felt like it, or wanted sex.

The blond disengaged from her task and approached the petite girl. "Hi, I'm Zoey. Zoey Brooke, but you can call me Zoey, and god thats so lame. Tried to sound cool, but that's really not me and..." She shook her head, focusing again on Cat. "Rob's told me so little about you..." Her smile screamed lie, like the one time nerd had spilled secrets, and the nice girl didn't want to let those color her feelings of his one time crush.

"You taking good care of him?" Cat asked.

"Yea, you two should talk, but yea, I'm doing what I can." Zoey said, seeming to vasilate. "Though he's been Jade's project." Her brown eyes glanced over towards Tracy. "All the difficult cases have been… But look at me, telling stories out of school." She flashed her smile, and even Cat had to agree Robbie had lucked out in getting this one.

"You're adorable." The petite girl said, trying to sound happy. 'I am happy. I'm so happy that Robbie has someone, that I didn't permanently damage him, that when his family rejected him, and I left him to suffer, so intent on finding my own way, he was able to have someone, something draw him back to the living. So yea, happy. I just, why is it, if I'm happy with Beck, I'm so upset that he was able to move on?' That thought was haunting the girl.

"Cat?" The voice screamed nervous, and Cat knew why. Turning slightly, the petite girl saw Jade, near the stairs, looking less Jade like and more like a girl waiting to see if her date was going to turn around and leave. "My god, Cat, I've missed you so much..."

"HELP!" Cat screamed as the pale woman rushed her. "Help, I…?" Confusion spread across the short girls face. "Wait, I think it's okay. Jade just, um, Jade, when did you start hugging?"

"We've been working on that." Tori told her. The Latina had been trailing her wife, only a few steps behind. Cat understood how she'd missed the Latina. She'd been so focused on Jade that the whole world had blotted out. Now with her friend drawing her back, Cat could focus on the strangeness of the moment, like Jade, who'd just released her, having hugged her in the first place. Brown eyes took in the goth, hoping that not to much had changed.

Jade looked like herself, or at least the Jade West she'd seen all over the media. The actress who'd learned to direct, and was now, finally, making movies of her own. Dark earth tones set off pale skin, and while the apparel still hinted at danger, it held an odd warmth to it as well. "Tori, you did this?"

"It was a group effort." The singer said.

"Yea, she did." Jade nodded.

"You did good work." Cat told Tori. "But, I still see the Jade in her, so it's all good." A warm smile flashed. "So, Jade, I didn't see your directorial debut, but that's because I didn't need the nightmares. But some of my classmates saw it, and they said it was disturbed."

"Good, that's the vibe I was looking for." Jade nodded. "They said I couldn't do a musical horror film without it turning into a comedy. Ha! I showed them."

Cat giggled, smiling at her friend. "I missed you." She said, but her eyes were already drifting off towards the elephant in the room. "I missed you all. I… I feel like I need to explain myself…."

"Cat, it's okay." Jade tried. "You decided that show business wasn't right for you, and that's just fine. Not everyone's cut out for the limelight."

"I love you." The petite girl said, catching her friends eye. "My sister, whom I abandoned because I wasn't sure how to tell you. I.. I need everyone for this. Can you maybe get Robbie to come over here? And when are the old folks arriving?"

Tori sighed. "You need my parents for this?"

"No, but I thought my Nona, and maybe Andre's grandmother, they might lie to hear this..." She shifted, getting nervous again. "Or maybe just my Nona. You know what?" Courage returned as she felt the love of the girl she called sister, from the day they broke through and became friends. "Okay everyone, take a seat, and I'll get started. See, I have my own story."

The gathering moved into the living room, each person finding their seat. Trina and Tracy chose to sit closer to Cat, as they were two of the only people the girl had allowed to have any kind of contact for the last year plus. Everyone else went through Beck.

Cat cleared her throat. "I'd like to start by telling Robbie, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you should have moved on." The one time nerd said. "I have. Studying business now, so I can hep run Jade's production company. Turns ot there's a place in entertainment for those who have business degrees."

"I still say you should study with a comedy troupe, get back into that business." Jade groused.

"But it's not your decision, is it?" Cat snapped. A moment later, her smile returned. "Man, kinda amazed I haven't lost anything for that outburst. Tori, you did good work with her."

"A, the nights far from done, and B, I had my share of effort in deciding who I now am." Jade told her friend, a dangerous edge creeping into her voice.

"See, majorly intimidating, and yet, no scissors." Cat told everyone. "Jade, it's not a bad thing to be a little retrained. You can't always force the world to work the way you want it to." She sighed. "Okay, MAYBE you can, with effort, and sacrifice, but not that many people have that option. So hush, cause I have my story. And again, Rob, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when your family were such meanies."

"Again, it's okay." Robbie said. "I may have had a few hard years, but Jade found me, brought me back."

"Tori found you." Trina chimed in. "But yea, it was psycho who brought you back."

"She's not psycho." Zoey said, but looked to Tracy for confirmation.

"Tactically psycho?" Tracy, who had naturally red hair, guessed. "Doesn't mater, cause I'm with Trina, so we're kinda, sorta family now."

"Which makes you kinda, sorta my family too." Cat jumped in. "Oh look, the focus is back on me, the girl telling the story. Yea for attention."

"Um, Cat…?" Beck tried.

"The point is, I didn't leave entertainment for the reasons everyone assumes." The petite girl said.

"You chose to leave." Jade repeated.

"See that?" Cat asked Beck. "The way she protects me, even now. That's what you missed, why you two breaking up was a good thing. I mean, sure, I'm dating you now, and we both know what, but Jade, she needs to feel protective of someone, and you just, I don't know, you only ever made her want to protect the fact that you were dating."

"Um, you were telling a story?" Robbie tried to bring the focus back to her story, and not the multitude of distractions that presented themselves.

"She's Zoey, Right?" Cat asked the boy. "Have you two done it yet?"

"Kinda personal..." Beck said.

"Yep." The blond added.

"Those real?" Cat pointed to Zoey's chest. A quick nod later, she continued. "Good, cause Rob deserves some love, and a girl with nice knockers, he's always liked those too, even if mine aren't so big."

"So, story?" Tori tried.

"Yea, thing is, as much as Jade is insisting it was my choice, no one believes that, not even me. And that's wrong, cause it was my choice." Cat rambled out.

"Sorry, what?" Tori asked.

"Wait for it." Trina cautioned.

"I had an offer, a recording contract. All I had to do was sign on the dotted line." Cat told the Latina. "Fly by night kind of operation, but it was legit. I could have made an album, used that to get a better contract with a major player. Only as I was looking at my future, I realized I didn't want it."

"What now?" Tori looked to her sister.

"Wow…!" Zoey added.

"That's the thing, I looked at my life, and realized that some girls may want that thing we're not supposed to, to be stay at home mothers." Cat filled in. "Not me, but I needed a job where I could care for others, and as harsh as it is, knowing the pets might die, dealing with that chiz, I realized I wanted to be a vet. Spent the last four years getting into Veterinary collage. And get this, one of my classmates is on the G.I. bill, cause he wants to be a Vet who's a Vet." Her laugh followed, and then she was focus again. "It's true, but I thought it was also funny. Anyways, I walked away from making music cause I don't want the fame. I'd take the fortune, but not at the cost of my soul, so I'm gonna be a vet, and maybe make children's music on the side. But if I do, it'll strictly as an aside, cause I'm gonna have the most normalest life of anyone from Hollywood arts. And I'm dating Beck cause he also figured out he doesn't need to be in entertainment."

Beck felt like eyes were on him. "I.. I tried, got me a small role on a Canadian television show, and then, it went no where, along with my career, so I came home to figure shit out." His eyes shot to his girlfriend. "Time to use adult language. They use it on television now, so it's good."

"Oh..." Jade felt small, trying to wrap her mind around this revelation. "Beck, I'm so sorry I had no idea. I thought..."

"That pride kept me from begging you for some help?" The one time actor asked. "Maybe at first, but then, Cat and I hooked up again, and while we rebuilt our friendship, I realized that Cat was right." He sighed. "I loved the idea of being an actor, but never really put the work in to be one. I… I wasn't thrilled by the extra's it takes to be an actor, the interviews, the choices I'd make that won't agree with the directors, everything. I'm taking a sideways rout to my dreams, working in a garage, as a mechanic, while I ger my teaching degree and maybe figure out what I'm gonna do with my life. But for now, I'm looking at Splashfece, maybe do a whole bunch of videos. Or maybe workshops, as well as teach, at Hollywood Arts if possible. Whatever, I'm planning on being me, and that's gonna come at a cost, but it's all good." He sighed. "Not that clear, is it?"

"Perfectly clear." Robbie chimed in. "As we grow up, some of us decided that acting isn't the rout we wanna go. Me, I'm gonna do business, which makes my family happy. Too bad for them, they told me to beat it, and I was gone. No, I'm a part of this family now, and while I'll work for and with Jade, I'm gonna be the guy behind the scenes making all the big calls. Maybe Rex can get his wish, have his own Splashface channel, but I'm happy with where my life is going." He was looking directly at Jade now. "Think. Zoey is gonna do catering, work with a company, have normal hours. We're gonna have us a family, and eventually, when we're ready, move out and be our own couple. My job is gonna be the kind that lets me do that, maybe walk my kids to school, or work on school projects sometimes. But as much as my new life with Zoey is taking shape, we're also part of this family, and I love everyone of you." His eyes tracked to Andre. "And that includes my wired, adopted great aunt Charlotte, who's madness hides so much wisdom. So, family, can we accept that Cat chose to leave show business?"

"Cat, Beck, you." Trina noted. "Yea, we need to accept that this family, we make our own decisions." She smiled at Cat. "So, we cool?"

"Whats this?" Beck asked as he pointed between Zoey and Tracy.

"Oh, they've become friends." Trina said with a shrug.

"Outsiders they welcomed in with open arms." Zoey added.

Beck slid a touch closer to Trina. "So, how'd that happen?" He asked, glancing towards Tracy. "You and..." His voice faded.

"Complicated story, but the short of it was, to save her life and my sanity, we had to fall in love." Trina told him. "It all worked out, and Jade's already scared the chiz outta her, so we're all good now."

"Yea, we are." He nodded, stepping away to rejoin his date. "So, who else is expected, and when will they arrive?"

"The Vega parents, Andre's grandmother, plus we invited Cat's Nona." Robbie filled in. "Tracy doesn't really have anyone, though she calls her parents regularly. They're not that kind of close. Zoey's parents will be in town, spend the day with her, er, us, tomorrow." He looked the taller boy in the eye. "What about your parents?"

"Back in Canada, and they don't celebrate this holiday." He said. "Cat and I went back a couple of weeks ago, spent the time with them then, on the Canadian version of the holiday." He smiled. "Guessing I'm back in this family now, huh?"

"Yepers." Robbie said, smiling. "Now help me get the table set up. We have only an hour, and Zoey's gonna be busy cooking. Did you know she's almost done with her culinary program? Don't worry, dinners gonna be epic. Now, let me tell you what needs doing."

Cat settled in next to Jade, who was holding Tori. Tracy had resumed what Cat could only guess was foreplay with Trina, even though it was strictly PG. "We gonna let the boys do all the work?" She asked.

"Dre's not working." Jade said.

"They volunteered." Tori added. "Relax, and welcome back." She kissed Jade's cheek. "So now what?"

"Lets just enjoy this version of the family before we go seeking more strays." Jade told her lover.

Cat stretched her legs, feeling like maybe she belonged after all. "You know, Jade, you and Sam used to be kinda close..."

Later, as they were enjoying one of the more unusual traditions of an American Thanksgiving dinner, talking about Christmas, as the season was now semi officially beginning, Cat slipped out to look down at the back yard, four stories down. "They have a pool. Cool."

"Yea, this is something." Beck agreed. "Regretting giving up the dream?"

"No, I'm very happy with my choices." The petite girl noted. "I'm actually comfortable moving towards this life I chose. Being a veterinarian, taking care of animals, that's what I wanna do with my life. I so wanna be the one who tells that little girl her pet is gonna be just fine."

"Cat…!" Beck warned, trying to find the words.

"Yes, Beck." She sighed. "I know, there will be plenty of times when there will be noting I can do, and pets die. I understand, there are gonna be plenty of little girls, and boys, and lets be honest, adults, who will need me to be understanding, strong, and caring, cause something they love is dying. Fur babies just don't last long enough, and even when they do, it just makes their deaths that much harder. Yes, I get that." Brown orbs gazed into brown pools, pushing that Cat wasn't that fragile child that everyone had assumed she was. "I can do this. I want this. I just, sometimes, it's nice to have a pool."

"We can get a pool." Beck assured the girl.

"Goody." She gave her man a hug. "Sigh, they've rebuilt their family. Look at them in there, all close. Even Andre's grandmothers a part of this. You can see it, the way she just... Fits." They watched the gathering through the many windows from living room to the balcony.

"Yea, she certainly does." Beck agreed.

"And we're the outsiders." Cat finished.

"No, just the family members who've been out, living our lives, while they had a few things happen." Beck corrected. "We're a part of this. If we want it, we're a part of this family."

"How can we be sure?" Cat asked. "How can you be so sure?"

"Look at Jade." Beck instructed. He was facing away, hugging his girl, but he knew where Jade was. The pale girl was on her couch, snuggling into Tori, letting her needs out. Jade was allowing herself to be the girl, just for a little while. But Beck also knew that she'd keep an eye on Cat, every breath she took. Jade, Zoey, and Tracy all had made it a point to keep an eye on them. "She's been tracking you all night."

"She was my sister." Cat said as if it was common knowledge.

"She still thinks you're sisters." Beck assured her, letting go so he could turn and watch the others inside. "She still wants her sister in her life. Yes, they rebuilt the family, adding to make sure everyone has someone, or someplace to be. Even Charlotte."

"That's Andre's grandmother, right?" Cat asked, even as she looked over to watch the crazy old woman watching them. The elder Harris was conversing with Cat's Nona, talking about something, but her eyes kept drifting back to the couple standing on the balcony. "She's watching me."

"Yea, cause she's worried about her family." Beck told the girl. "But Dre, he told me his grandmother was now engaged in some, er, interesting activities now that she's at Elderly Acres."

"They say that those places are often a bacchanal." Cat said, using her vocabulary.

"That means..." Beck pulled out his phone. "Oh, yea, kinda a wild party, I guess."

Cat giggled. "I'm gonna be a vet. I understand that the elderly, they like sex as much as anyone. Ladies aren't gonna get preggers, so they screw around a bit. I get that."

"No one warned Andre." Beck said. "He's in denial."

"Don't blame him." Cat agreed, smiling. "My Nona is forced to work hard to avoid being caught up in all that crazy."

"Right, she's still a nun, right?" Beck teased.

"And she will be, cause no way I accept that woman getting some." Cat said. "And no, it's not just me being prissy. She's always been so, I don't know. Spend time with her, and you'd believe in the stork, cause there's no way that woman ever got laid."

Beck was laughing now. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"No, cause I don't feel like I belong." Cat snapped.

"Talk to Jade, let her know you still feel like an outsider." He urged.

"Or you can just accept that, sometimes, it takes time for the prodigal son to feel welcomed back after his wanderings." Robbie added, having slipped out to the balcony just moments before. he'd heard enough, however, to know what to say to Cat. "Cat, Jade's your sister. You said that much. Family, they love you no mater how crazy you are, how messed up you've allowed yourself to get, or how many flashbacks you have about working a retirement home bridal shower."

"Whats this now?" Cat asked, her head almost coming off from the speed she'd whipped it around.

"The point is, she accepted me, no mater how damaged I'd become, or whether or not I'd ever worked as a male stripper, cause she wanted me back in the family." The one time nerd said. "Tori wanted me back, and Jade, she's married to Tori. What Tori wants, Jade wants, and they both want you guys back."

Beck let out a whistle. "There's a story in that somewhere."

"One which you've heard as much as you ever will about." Robbie said, and while his voice held humor, his eyes were steel. "Anyways," His eyes softened, "Jade wants you back. You've already said you were back, so welcome, and remember, sometimes, it takes time. Just, all the prodigal children have returned, and that's something to celebrate."

Cat smiled at her one time crush. "You're so different." She noted.

"Was damaged." He said. "Maybe I fixed myself, but there will always be those cracks. Colors my life. But it also encourages me to be very accepting of people and their flaws. So, you okay being Jade's sister again?"

Cat smiled. "Jade's married to Tori, right?" She watched as the boys gave a quick nod. "So being Jade's sister, that means I'm kinda related to the whole Vega family, you know, by marriage, and that means Trina., who I know likes me. So yea, that works." She squared her shoulders. "Time to go In and enjoy the rest of this party." She hesitated. "Before Tracy takes Trina out to fornicate again."

"Yea, girl has her issues." Robbie agreed as he led the two back in the party. "But we love her anyways, cause she's family."

"I can get on board with that." Cat told him. She boldly approached her best friend and asked "So, Jade, when are you having kids?"

:}

A companion piece to "An old Fashion Family Christmas." Hope you enjoyed.

Oh yea, I'm still plugging away. Sometimes, it's even worth printing.

And for old time sake, review.


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